


The Stories of the Culpa Mansion

by Star_Fata



Series: ML: Haunted Mansion AU [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-01-05 23:40:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21216959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Star_Fata/pseuds/Star_Fata
Summary: Side stories of my MLHMAU.Chapter 1- Felix's parents have a conversation about their son's love life. Side story to chapter 8 of Romance in the Culpa Mansion.





	1. Chapter 1

Madame Malaura may have been jesting, but it truly wouldn't do for all three members of the Culpa family to stay with her all night- however enjoyable her company. And so, Ira and Emilie stepped away from the sofas to step onto the dance floor, joining in the waltz currently playing which Felix was wisely sitting out of. 

Although Ira doubted wisdom had anything to do with it- it was in fact very likely that their son hadn’t even noticed the music change. 

“When do you think he’ll realise he’s head over heels for her?” Emilie asked as they turned to face each other. 

“If he takes after me, not until he’s 18. If he takes after you, not until he finds himself horrifically jealous of some poor soul who also realises she’s pretty.” Ira said immediately. 

She sighed and nodded. “At least Madame is having fun.” 

“Your Aunt is always having fun. It’s part of her charm. And on occasion, our curse.” 

“Ira!” 

“You clearly do not remember what it was like when she was having fun over our mutually unresolved feeling my love. I’m not sure whether I pity Felix or not, now she has a new target.” 

Emilie rolled her eyes at him. “It’ll be better if he comes to terms with his feelings himself. In any case, there are several very important differences to when we were failing to realise our feelings.” 

Ira quirked an eyebrow at her. “Oh?” He said. 

“Firstly, Felix is young yet. They may have several years before they start courting, and no one will comment on their age.” Unsaid was the myriad other things people would comment on, but it would spoil the mood to bring those up. “Secondly, they are not married, so will need to realise those feelings in order to court. And finally..” Ira twirled her, unnecessarily but within the rules of the dance. “Finally, we may join Madame Malaura in the fun this time.” She said, grinning at her husband. 

A grin he swiftly returned. “Schadenfreude my love?” 

Emilie hummed, attempting to conceal her smile. “Perhaps. I prefer to think of it as the joys of experience.” 

Ira threw back his head and laughed, startling several of the nearby dancers. 

Over by the sofas, several heads turned at the disturbance. Felix’s was not one of them- and nor was Brigette’s. 

Madame Malaura smiled slyly, even as she turned back to her friends. She could very well guess at the cause of Ira’s laugh. It was probably the same thing that had been providing her with so much entertainment over the past few months.


	2. Between Romance and Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brigette and Felix, after the attempt on her life.

Brigette found herself staring out into the gardens from the window in their hidden room, almost hugging herself as she stared into what should have been a delightful view of the lagoon.  


It was a beautiful day, and the views from Culpa Mansion drew artists by the dozens in the summer season. Today, with the lagoon almost as blue as the sky above, she could see a few of them on the grass now. Distantly, she heard a child laugh.  


Usually, the view and the feelings she took from such a sight would drive her to _create_, pick up her pencil and sketch out a design to be rendered in fabric. Perhaps she would hum as she worked on her embroidered rendition of the view, or perhaps the design would take the form of a dress or hat to be taken to a seamstress or milliner to be made into reality.  


Today it just made her feel ill.  


Looking at the view, as picturesque and peaceful as one could wish for, no one would think the master’s fiancé had almost been poisoned.  


Felix was still raging, three people had been let go and one thrown straight to the lawmen. He was no closer to finding proof as to who was behind it, and they both knew it. Delila had covered her tracks well.  


A familiar aura appeared in the mirror. “Are you alright for company?” A female voice asked, genuinely concerned.  


“I’d welcome it at the moment.” She replied.  


With that, the hidden door into the library opened and Allegra Krypte slipped through soundlessly. “How are you feeling?”  


Brigette couldn’t say. If she tried, she’d either start crying or screaming. 

She had lived here her entire life, had been born in the servants’ quarters in the basement where her mother Sabine had laboured for fifteen fearful hours. She had grown up assisting her parents and various people they trusted with small chores around the mansion whenever she hadn’t been in the schoolroom with the other children, and even once she’d become Madame Malaura’s companion she’d eaten her meals in the servants quarters as often as not.  


The man who had been caught trying to poison her had worked in the gardens for ten years. She’d helped him weed the flowerbeds.  


She hadn’t known him well. But she would never have expected him to try and kill her.  


Somehow, Allegra read this on her face. “Oh darling.”  


The sympathy in Allegra’s voice brought her to tears, and once they’d started she found she couldn’t stop.  


“Let it out.” Allegra said softly, reaching out to hug her. She cried until the world faded out, blackness overtaking her vision.  


When the world returned, Allegra was gone. In her place was another, even handsomer blonde. Beloved eyes looked to her as she sat up from the luxurious suite she rested on.  


“I’ve dismissed all four men, but the Sheriff refused to arrest Miller.” Felix spoke in an even tone, but she could hear the defeat in his voice.  


“What?”  


“Not enough evidence for conspiracy, and no one got hurt so it’s not murder or attempted murder.”  


Brigette wanted to scream. Instead, she moved so her head rested on Felix’s shoulder.  


“I’m here. I’m alive. And we’re going to do everything in our power to keep it that way.” She vowed.  


His hand raised absently, stroking her shoulder through her dress. “We certainly are. Loving you has made me a greater man, I don’t want to know who I’d be without you.”  


“You would be just as great a man.” She promised him, attempting to tease them both into a better mood. “You just would not have so great a fiancée.”  


He chuffed at her attempt, but his muscles were drawn under her cheek.  


Sighing, she pressed her face into his waistcoat. “I don’t want us separated that way either.” Lifting her head to look him in the eyes once more, she continued. “I want us to grow old together my love. To spend so many summers and winters together that when reminiscing we have to remind each other of which year we mean, and to have made so many memories together that all the nooks and crannies in this house couldn’t hold them all.”  


“That’s all I want.” He said hoarsely. “A lifetime, with you by my side. To be a reason for your joys and share in your agonies. To grow and change together until looking back the woman I love at the end of our time is a different woman to the one I first fell in love with.”  


She smiled, settling herself back onto his shoulder. “And when did you first fall in love with me?”  


“I’m still not certain. It came over me so slowly, I must have been falling for you from our first conversation outside the Spirit Room. But I know the moment I realised it.”  


She blinked, not having expected an answer. “I realised I was in danger of falling in love with you the very first time we sat in this room together, when we were 15.” She confided in him. “It was too dim to work on my embroidery, so I was listening to you on the piano. I thought I heard thunder, so I opened my eyes. You looked back at me, just for a moment as you were playing- and I _knew_.”  


“You never said.”  


“I decided to keep it a secret, held close to my heart and cherished- and never shared.”  


“Not even with…?”  


“Anyone who knew of my feelings guessed it. I never spoke them aloud until years later.”  


His arm slipped more securely around her. “For me, it was when my mother was dying. Nico gave me some advice when I overreacted to some teasing about my romantic prospects. He said that I should take care in choosing a bride for she would be my constant companion and my partner in life.”  


Lips pressed to her forehead. “And all I could think of for months was you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had this typed up in my deleted scenes file- still working on chapter 14 of The Haunted Culpa Mansion. This was originally one of Marinette's dreams, but I decided it was too obvious. It was originally the first dream she had in the story.


End file.
